1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an apparatus for hanging an article from an upright support, such as a deck railing, and more particularly, to an apparatus for hanging flowers or plants from a railing.
2. Background Art
Flowers and plants customarily are used to improve aesthetic appeal and attractiveness of a home or yard. Outdoor flowers and plants, in particular, are susceptible to flourishing and beautifying a surrounding area when subjected to appropriate climate conditions. Decorative flowers and relatively small plants typically reside in a somewhat conical pot or, alternatively, in an elongated planter box.
A railing hanger is used to support a flower pot or a planter box from an outdoor or indoor upright support, such as a deck railing or a fence. For instance, a deck railing or fence may extend around any or all of the perimeter of a deck or patio and have a range of heights dependent on the elevation of the deck or patio. A prior railing hanger engages the upper edge of a railing/fence and has a substantially vertical leg which extends downwardly along one side of the railing/fence and supports a flower pot at a desired height above the ground. The depending leg of the hanger and the suspended flower pot rest against the railing/fence under the weight of the pot and soil contained therein. An exemplary railing hanger of the character discussed above is marketed by HMN Corporation of Toledo, Ohio, under the trademark HANG OVERS.TM..
A number of problems exist with respect to railing hangers in which a portion of the hanger and a plant or flower suspended thereby rest against a rail.
A plant can be severely damaged if captured between a flower pot and a rail. Further, if a plant is positioned immediately adjacent a rail, a portion of the plant may be shielded from receiving sufficient sunlight or rain water to survive. Where a deck has integral seating built into the rails, adjacently positioned plants pose potential hazards to individuals using the seating: residual moisture may drain from the plant and contact a nearby individual. Also, annoyances associated with windblown potting soil, dead leaves, and insects attracted by plants increase in direct relation to the proximity of the plant to the seating.
Lengthwise contact between the railing hanger and the railing can damage the railing as well as the railing hanger, particularly when the railing hanger is subjected to heavy winds such that the plant and railing hanger repeatedly bounce off the railing. In addition, run off moisture from an adjacent plant easily can soak into the railing and progressively rot or corrode the railing material.
Another problem which exists with respect to hangers for flower pots is that due to the oppositely sloped sidewalls of many conventional flower pots, when a flower pot or planter box is rested flat against a railing in prior railing hangers, the flower pot/planter box necessarily is tipped. Not only does a flower then begin to grow at an angle relative to the flower pot (the appearance of which is unacceptable when the flower pot subsequently is placed on flat ground), but water tends to migrate toward the lowermost edge of the pot and prevent moisture from distributing uniformly throughout the root system and the potting soil.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.